Durham County Moves Toward Data Center Moratorium

The Durham County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to revise the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) on Monday, granting the county increased authority to extend the duration of potential future data center moratoriums. Board chair Mike Lee clarified that the vote was on the UDO revision, not a formal moratorium, with the earliest possible vote on a data center moratorium scheduled for July 13. This action follows the City of Durham's June 15 decision to impose a 12-month data center moratorium.

During the public hearing, Durham residents reiterated concerns previously raised at City Hall, emphasizing the need for more time to understand the impacts of hyperscale data centers, particularly those powering artificial intelligence. Speakers, including Ashley Daniels and lifelong Durham resident Danielle Purifoy, highlighted the intensive water demands of these facilities amidst severe drought conditions, questioning how data centers would be managed during future water shortages given current directives for residents to conserve water.

Broader concerns about data centers' environmental burden, including increased energy demands, were also voiced. Residents at the meeting and a previous protest against Duke Energy rate hikes argued that data centers are a primary driver of rising energy consumption, leading to increased costs for residents. The article noted that data center moratoriums are a growing trend across local governments in the Triangle region, with Chatham County, Apex, and Orange County having already enacted similar year-long bans on data center and cryptocurrency mining operations.